Suzhou-based Rigerna Therapeutics has entered a collaboration with Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical valued at up to RMB 990 million (approximately $137 million), granting Hisun access to Rigerna's proprietary liver-targeted GalNAc delivery technology platforms and an early-stage siRNA candidate, RGN6669. The two-part agreement includes exclusive, sublicensable rights for Hisun to utilize Rigerna's siRNA technology platforms—including RIHOST for sequence design, RICMO for chemical modification, and LICOD for in vivo delivery—for developing drugs against specified targets, as well as joint ownership and exclusive development rights for RGN6669. The deal features an upfront payment, milestone-based compensation, and potential revenue shares. The collaboration underscores a growing trend in China's biopharmaceutical sector, where platform technology companies partner with established pharmaceutical players to accelerate nucleic acid drug development while sharing risks and rewards in a rapidly expanding market.

At the 2026 CSCO Annual Meeting, the combination of fruquintinib and sintilimab was highlighted for achieving a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 22.2 months in second-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Following NMPA approval on May 21, 2026, the updated 2026 CSCO Renal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines elevated the combination to a Level I Recommendation with Grade 1A evidence for patients with locally advanced or metastatic RCC who previously failed VEGFR-TKI therapy but had not received prior PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor treatment. Based on the FRUSICA-2 phase 2/3 trial data, this domestically developed target-immune combination now serves as a standard of care, filling a critical gap in second-line RCC treatment options in China.

Stuart Milstein, a global RNAi pioneer, examines China's oligonucleotide industry and admits he badly underestimated its biotech ecosystem and its progress in RNA therapeutics. The USD 4.165 billion Novartis deal Argo Biopharma signed in January 2024 surprised him with its broad target coverage and advanced assets, a turning point for him. A former core scientist at Alnylam who shaped several industry standards, Milstein credits China's surge in licensing deals by both number and value. Yet he argues that scientists should drop the speed-driven fast-follow model for original work on unsolvable problems, and that investors should take the long view. The article traces how the sector went from undervalued to globally watched, arguing that only genuine innovation, not speed, creates lasting value and escapes the asset "discount".

Abogen Biosciences will present first-in-human Phase 1 clinical results of ABO2203, an mRNA-encoded CD3×CD19 T-cell engager (TCE), at the 2026 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. The poster presentation will showcase safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy data from patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), a rare and refractory autoimmune disease. ABO2203 is designed to deplete B cells and modulate the immune system, demonstrating deep B-cell depletion and clinical improvement in SSc patients. This marks Abogen's inaugural human trial in the autoimmune disease field, highlighting the company's innovation in mRNA-based therapies for autoimmune conditions.

At the 2026 ESMO Congress, several global first-in-class (FIC) therapies presented their inaugural clinical data, revealing both promising efficacy and clinical setbacks. CSPC Pharmaceutical's PD-1/IL-15 bispecific JMT108 showed positive objective response rates in HCC and CRC, prompting plans for pivotal studies. Ascentage Pharma's EZH2 PROTAC AXT-1003 and Shimei Pharma's EGFR/CD3 bispecific CMDE005 also demonstrated favorable safety profiles and preliminary anti-tumor activity. Conversely, Merck's NK cell engager MK-4464 exhibited limited efficacy, while Roche's trispecific antibody SAIL66 faced significant challenges, including high anti-drug antibody rates and no objective responses, resulting in its pipeline removal. These presentations highlight the diverse clinical validation outcomes of novel oncology therapeutics.

Thyroid eye disease (TED) is entering a new era of treatment driven by breakthroughs from global and Chinese pharmaceutical companies. Roche's Enspryng (satralizumab) recently received FDA approval, demonstrating significant efficacy in improving proptosis and diplopia. Concurrently, Innovent Biologics' Xibimin (tebrotumab) has been approved and included in China's National Reimbursement Drug List, with recent Phase 3 trials confirming its efficacy for inactive TED. These continuous innovations mark a paradigm shift from reactive symptom management to early intervention and full-course therapy, significantly expanding targeted treatment options and improving drug accessibility for patients globally.

Suzhou Ribo Life Science Co., Ltd. presented preliminary interim results from the Phase IIa study of ozisiran, an investigational siRNA therapy for chronic hepatitis D virus (HDV), at the Delta Cure Meeting in Milan. The trial demonstrated that ozisiran achieved sustained suppression of both HDV RNA and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) through Week 36, which was 24 weeks post-treatment. The drug was generally well-tolerated with a favorable safety profile, highlighting the potential of RNAi technology to provide durable virological control for HDV patients with limited treatment options.

A Phase II trial of JSKN003, a HER2 bispecific antibody-drug conjugate developed by CSPC Pharmaceutical Group and Alphamab Oncology, reported a 100% confirmed objective response rate (ORR, 14/14 patients) in treatment-naive patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma in Cohort B. Presented at ESMO 2026, the trial evaluated three regimens: JSKN003 plus sintilimab and capecitabine (Cohort A, ORR 71.4%); JSKN003 plus sintilimab, capecitabine, and anitumab (Cohort B, 100%); and JSKN003 plus SG001, capecitabine, and oxaliplatin (Cohort C, 50.0%). Grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 57.1%, 28.6%, and 100% of Cohorts A, B, and C, respectively. No treatment-related deaths occurred. Survival and response durability data remain immature.

The People's Daily published a commentary stating that extreme low prices will not win across the board in China's volume-based procurement (VBP) for drugs and medical consumables, signaling a shift towards a multi-dimensional evaluation framework that weighs price, quality, and supply reliability. Meanwhile, Innovent Biologics presented the first Phase I clinical data for IBI3001, a first-in-class EGFR/B7H3 bispecific ADC, at the ESMO 2026 congress, showing promising early efficacy with an 87.5% objective response rate in a biomarker-positive subgroup.

CSPC Pharmaceutical Group has published the Phase III clinical trial results for its chemically synthesized semaglutide injection (HD1916) in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. The multicenter, randomized study demonstrated that HD1916 achieved an average weight reduction of 13.1% after 44 weeks of treatment in non-diabetic obese Chinese adults. The formulation met pre-specified equivalence criteria when compared head-to-head against Novo Nordisk's biologic semaglutide, with a similar safety profile and good tolerability. The chemically synthesized approach offers distinct manufacturing advantages over traditional biologic fermentation methods, including the elimination of immunogenicity risks, more controllable impurity profiles, and greater potential for quality consistency. CSPC has submitted New Drug Applications to China's NMPA for both type 2 diabetes and overweight/obesity weight management, both of which are currently under review.